BAYAH & THE IMPORTANCE OF A SPIRITUAL GUIDE/MURSHID

By Muhammad Irfan Kas

Pledging allegiance, also known as taking bayah, is a

tradition from the times of Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Once such example of this is when the Noble Companions “Whoever dies and did not take an pledged oath to him under the tree. In this incident, each oath of allegiance (to a Muslim Companion placed their hand in the hand of the Beloved leader) has died a death of jahiliyah (ignorance).” Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), andaffirmed their faith in the oneness of Allah (tawheed).This incident is reported in the Holy Qur’an, which states, “Certainly Allah was pleasedwith the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, andHe knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewardedthem with an imminent conquest.” [Qur’an 48:18]

Importance of Bayah to a Shaykh

The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoeverdies and did not take an oath of allegiance (to a Muslim leader) has died a death of jahiliyah(ignorance).” [Bukhari, Muslim]The meaning of taking bayah is to pledge spiritual allegiance & surrender yourself to thesupervision of a Murshid/Pir/Shaykh, or spiritual teacher/leader. He leads you to Allah byguiding you through the path of Shar’iah and the teachings of our Beloved Prophet (peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him). The Murshid is he who takes others under hisguardianship so that he may help them with their deen, often strengthening their heartswith zikr and good counsel.

1Taking bayah also acts as a powerful guard against arrogance and pride, as a mureed (aspiritual disciple, follower, a seeker who follows the Murshid as his guide on the path ofTasawwuf) must hold complete adab (respect) and humility where his Murshid is concerned.This orders the nafs towards discipline; it is made to recognise its own worth, reflectingupon the pure state of those close to Allah, realising that true honour is in piety only, andunderstanding that it has no right to be proud. The nafs also learns to obtain knowledgeand guidance from one who is greater in faith, causing it to humble itself. This is the way ofthe Salaf, who would sit at the feet of their Murshid to correct their own characters(akhlaaq) and achieve purity.• Sayyidina Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, the Leader of the Saints, explains, “Arrogance,hypocrisy, egoism, are all arrows of Shaytan aimed at your hearts. One should formulate astrategy to defend oneself from this attack.The correct strategies are explained and demonstrated by the Mashaa`ikh (Teachers). Youshould heed to their commands and act on them. They will guide you on the path of Allahsince they have already travelled on this path. Ask their advice on matters relating to thenafs (lower self), cravings and other weaknesses, because they have also suffered theirconsequences and are well aware of the dangers and harms of evil desires. They havebattled these over a long period of time and can confront, control and defeat them.”[Al-Fath-ur-Rabbani, pg. 150]Additionally, spending time in the presence of the righteous will cause one to benefit greatlyin character and mannerisms. This influence has a powerfully positive effect on a person’sheart and mind, causing them to adopt traits pleasing to Allah.• Imam Ghazali states in his Ihya Uluum al-Din, “Keep company with those who have firmfaith, hear from them the learning of sure faith, follow them always, so that your faith maybecome firm as their faith became firm.”The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, as an analogy forgood/bad company, “The likeness of a righteous friend and an evil friend, is the likeness of a(musk) perfume seller and a blacksmith. As for the perfume seller, he may either bestowsomething on you, or you may purchase something from him, or you may benefit from hissweet smell…” [Bukhari, Muslim]The above narration clarifies the importance of righteous company, which can benefit aperson in more ways than one – there are numerous other Ahadith about the merits ofbeing with the righteous. Also, the Holy Qur’an states:“And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morningand the evening, seeking His countenance.”[Qur’an 18:28]Regarding the presence, then, of a Murshid, one who is a scholar of religion and devout inhis duties towards Almighty Allah, one should bear in mind the following Hadith of theNoble Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him:“The best of you are those who, when they are seen, God is remembered.”[Ibn Majah]

2This highlights the necessity of being in the company of one’s Murshid who, if he is a trueteacher, will have this effect on those who meet him.• Imam Muhyuddin ibn Arabi states in his book, Kitab Kunh ma la Budda minhu lil-Muridor What the Seeker Needs, “Look for a perfect teacher who will lead you on the StraightPath.”• Imam al-Shafi said, “I accompanied the Sufiya (plural of Sufi) and I received from themthree kinds of knowledge, 1. They taught me how to speak, 2. They taught me how to treatpeople with leniency and a soft heart, 3. They guided me in the ways of Tasawwuf.” [TanwirAl-Qulub, page 405]• Imam Ahmad advising his son said, “O my son, you must sit with the Sufiya, because theyare like a fountain of knowledge. They recite the remembrance of Allah in their hearts.They are ascetics and they have the most spiritual power.” [Ghiza Al-Albab, Vol 1, page 120]• Imam Abu Hanifa said, emphasizing the importance of sitting at the feet of a spiritualguide and teacher, “If it were not for two years, I would have perished. For two years, Iaccompanied Imam Jafar al-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me aknower in the Way (i.e. Tasawwuf).” [Ad-Durr Al-Mukhthar, Vol. 1, page 43]It has been agreed upon for centuries that one cannot travel the path of Tasawwuf, or theessential spiritual branch of Islamic belief, without guidance from a spiritual teacher. Thisknowledge cannot be taught in books, it must be acquired through the guidance of a teacheror Murshid.• Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi states in his Masnavi, “Butter cannot be acquired withoutmilk, as recognition of Allah (ilm-e-baatin) cannot be obtained without a spiritual guide orMurshid.”And he further states, “Whoever travels without a guide needs two hundred yearsfor a two day journey.”About him, there is a story regarding the importance of a Murshid.He, Mawlana Rumi, was not only a poet but also a great jurist, theologian and scholar of thehighest accord. One day, as he taught his students in the open courtyard of the Masjid, apoorly dressed dervish stood by and watched. He observed how the Mawlana referred tomany handwritten books and texts as he taught, so he enquired as to what they contained.Mawlana Rumi replied, “O Sufi! This contains knowledge which is beyond yourunderstanding, so you continue to read your tasbeeh (rosary).” The dervish was in fact thegreat Shamsuddin Tabrez, who would soon be his spiritual guide and teacher.When Mawlana Rumi's attention had gone back to teaching, Khwaja Shamsuddin Tabrezthrew all the Mawlana’s books into the nearby pond. The students who noticed this rushedto him and began to beat him. A distraught Mawlana Rumi complained of how his valuableknowledge had all been lost."Tell your pupils to leave me alone and I will give back your books," replied KhwajaShamsuddin. Mawlana Rumi, thinking that this would be impossible, asked his students toleave the dervish alone. Then he watched in amazement as Khwaja Shamsuddin recited‘Bismillah,’ retrieved the books out of the water and returned them to him intact. He asked

3him as to how he had done this, to which Khwaja Shamsuddin replied, “This knowledge isbeyond your understanding so you continue to teach your pupils.”The Mawlana then realised his mistake, asked for forgiveness and submitted himself to thepresence of this great Sufi dervish. Eventually, time spent at the feet of KhwajaShamsuddin transformed him from a scholar of religious texts, into a truly devout lover ofGod.In Mawlana Rumi’s own words:“Sad kitaboh, sad waraq, dar nar kunAur jaan-o-dil rah, janibeh, dil daar kun.”Meaning: “Throw all your books into the fire,And turn with heart & soul towards the pure-hearted (the Awliya).”Hafiz al-Shirazi affirms this advice saying, “Do not take a step on the path of Love withouta guide. I have tried it one hundred times and failed.”• If one is lucky enough to reach the presence of a Wali or Friend of Allah (read articleabout Wilayah), bear in mind the words of Khwaja Shah Baha’uddin Naqshband whosaid, “There is no friend of Allah on this earth who is not under the special Gaze of Allah.When you sit in the company of the friend of Allah, the fayz (spiritual blessing) that youreceive is in fact a reflection of that special gaze.”The power of this fayz has been known to truly transform personalities, causing even theharshest of criminals and sinners to turn whole-heartedly to Allah in repentance anddevotion.• Sayyidina Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani said, “The heart is the plantation for the Aakhira(hereafter). Sow the seeds of Imaan in your heart. Irrigate, fertilise and mature it withregular good deeds. If there is kindness and energy in the heart, it will be fertile and anabundant harvest will result. Should the heart be harsh and contemptuous, the soulbecomes infertile, barren and no crop will be able to grow.Learn this art of farming by its farmers/experts, the Awliya Allah. Do not think youropinion to be sufficient. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says, ‘Seekhelp in every field from an expert in that field.’” [Al-Fathur Rabbani, pg. 202]Criteria of a True MurshidA true Murshid is one whose own faith is sound enough for him to guide others to the Path.His status as a Murshid must be initiated by orders from his own spiritual guide, who mayreceive these instructions from preceding saints with the permission of the BelovedMessenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).This spiritual chain is known as a Tareeqa.Firstly, true Murshid must be a Sunni Muslim who strictly follows the beliefs and creed ofthe Ahle Sunnah wal Jamaah, the only true path of Islam. He adheres to the ways of theBeloved Messenger, and is guided by the Noble Companions and the Salaf who follow afterthem. This is absolutely crucial, and without this, he is a danger to the Imaan of those whofollow him and a cause for serious corruption in faith.

4• Imam Malik said, “Whoever studies jurisprudence (fiqh) and does not study Tasawwufwill be corrupted. Whoever studies Tasawwuf and does not study jurisprudence will becomea heretic. Whoever combines both will reach the truth.” [Kashf Al-Khafa Wa Muzid Al-Abas,Vol. 1, page 341]Secondly, he must be a knowledgeable scholar or Aalim, with a broad understanding inmatters of Deen so that he is able to differentiate between forbidden (haram), acceptable(halal) and everything in between. He will be able to give sound judgements and guide theactions of his followers according to the Qur’an and Sunnah.Thirdly, he must display the noble characteristics and etiquettes taught by the BelovedMessenger, and this indicates the purity of his heart. A great Murshid is one who teaches bypractical example as well as through his words and advice. He is respected by all due to hischaracter and he instills love for the Sunnah within the hearts of those who follow him.Fourthly, his spiritual lineage (Shejra) must be that of a true Tareeqa, or spiritual chain; itmust be connected, starting from our Master the Beloved Messenger of Allah, to NobleCompanions, to Salaf and Awliya after them. Spiritual wisdom, teachings and guidance arepassed down from the top in this manner, so one cannot gain any fayz or virtue withoutthese connections.Additionally, Imam Muhyuddin ibn Arabi teaches that one should not expect a Murshid toperform miracles. This is not a requirement of a spiritual guide or even of a Wali. This issomething which many are blessed with by Allah, but is an aspect they wish to conceal dueto their humility and noble state.• Imam ibn Arabi states, “People think that a Shaykh should show miracles and manifestillumination. The requirement of a teacher however, is only that he should possess all thatthe disciple needs.”• Regarding this, Mawlana Rumi narrates the following story in his Masnavi:Seeing a man who was tilling the earth, a fool who was unable to control himself criedout, “Why are you ruining this soil?”“Fool,” said the man, “leave me alone. Try to recognize the difference between tending thesoil and wasting it. How will this soil become a rose garden until it is disturbed andoverturned?”This indicates the importance of the Shaykh who acts as the tiller, testing the mureed byoverturning their heart and nourishing their inner soil. This is done to benefit the mureedso that their full inner potential is realized and as a result, they are elevated in spiritualrank and station.

Tareeqa – Spiritual Chain

The word tareeqa literally means ‘way’ or ‘path’. It terms of Tasawwuf, it refers to the pathof spiritual guidance and blessing issued down from the Beloved Messenger, passed alongfrom one righteous personality to another. Silsila is another term used for tareeqa.

5As madhabs are the paths for adhering to the Shar’iah, sotareeqas are the paths foradhering to Tasawwuf. They are all correct, as they all lead back to the ultimate source ofguidance, our Beloved Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The saints inevery tareeqa are connected to his eminent presence and blessings.• Imam Ahmad Raza Khan says, “By just having a link with a spiritual order (Silsila) isitself a great fortune and blessing.”Each tareeqa has branches; like a tree, where the roots are one but the branches are many.This is due to how each tareeqa is connected and taught through different saints and theirDarbars (sanctuaries, or centres).The Naqshbandi tareeqa is distinguished in that it is the only one which connects from theBeloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to Sayyidina AbuBakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) onwards, whereas all the others connectfrom the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) toSayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) onwards.• Mawlana Jami is reported to have said, “The Naqshbandiya lead an extraordinarycaravan, for they take their students to the Haram (sanctuary) via a secret, hidden route.”The Shejra is a chart which shows clearly how the tareeqa has progressed; whichCompanions and saints it has been passed down from. It clarifies the spiritual connectionand authenticity of the guidance a mureed is blessed with through their tareeqa.There are many virtues associated with reciting one’s Shejra. It encourages theremembrance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and theSaaliheen (the righteous). This is a method which strengthens hearts and rejuvenates one’sfaith.It also acts as a form of Isaal-e-Sawaab, or virtue for the deceased, which is a means toreceive their guidance and fayz. It also brings a mureed closer to the Awliya, so that theyare able to receive the blessings and assistance of these saints in times of hardship, as wellas during moments of ease.

Duties and Respect towards One’s Murshid

First and foremost, it is crucial for the mureed to have utmost love, respect and trusttowards his Murshid. A seeker cannot gain even a grain of wisdom or blessing unless he hascomplete adab (respect) for his spiritual guide.Notice the respect and honour the Noble Companions had for the Beloved Messenger ofAllah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). They had such deep love and respect forhim that they would honour everything associated with him – his belongings, hismannerisms, places he visited etc. They would never raise their voice above his, they wouldnever turn their backs towards him or even look at his blessed face except by glancing, dueto their respect for him.

6A mureed’s respect for his/her Murshid should be in accordance to the Companion’s level ofreverence for the Beloved Messenger - he was their guide to Allah, as one’s Murshid is aguide to the Beloved Messenger.• Khwaja Shah Baha’uddin Naqshband said, “Good conduct with the Shaykhs is arequirement for every seeker. The Shaykhs are the causes and the means for following inthe footsteps of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).”It is also extremely important that the mureed adheres to the advice and instructions of theMurshid, without fail or hesitation. Of course, any advice given which is blatantly andwithout even a shadow of a doubt, in contradiction of the Shari’ah, must be opposed – but atrue Murshid will never advise in such a manner.In the case of a true Murshid, a mureed must understand that even when the advice of theirMurshid appears suspicious, these doubts should not be entertained. Often, it is due to thelack of the mureed’s understanding and faith that they are unable to comprehend thewisdom behind the Murshid’s words. Therefore, they should endure with patience knowingthat eventually, their doubts will be removed and the truth will be brought to light. Thetrue Murshid has answers which a seeker can only obtain through complete trust.• Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti said, “Whoever has attained anything achieved it throughservice (khidmat). It is compulsory upon the mureed not to go against the commands of theMurshid even to the size of an atom.”There is an incident reported about Imam Junayd al-Baghdadi, who came to the RiverTigris and saying “Ya Allah”, began to walk across it as if it was solid ground. One of hisfollowers witnessed this, so the Imam advised him to say “Ya Junayd” and he too would beable to cross. The follower did so, and repeating “Ya Junayd”, he walked across the water –until Shaytan entered his mind. He thought, “The Imam himself is repeating the Name ofAllah, whilst he tells me to repeat ‘Ya Junayd’. Surely, this is shirk! Will I not repeat theName of Allah too?”So he disregarded the words of his Murshid Imam Junayd, and began to say “YaAllah”.Immediately, he plunged into the depths of the water beneath him and began todrown. Imam Junayd rescued him and he told him what had happened. The Imamreplied, “You have not yet understood or attained the status of Junayd and yet you tried tocomprehend the Reality of Allah!”• Sayyidina Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, “You should heed to the commands of theShaykhs and act on them. They will guide you on the path of Allah since they have alreadytravelled on this path.”[Al-Fathur Rabbani, pg. 150]Therefore, the mureed must ensure that they are consistent in reciting the awrad (or wird,wazaa’if, or daily zikr) prescribed to them by their spiritual guide. This is of utmostimportance; the Murshid is a healer or physician who recommends the appropriate antidotenecessary for the seeker. He knows the seeker’s state better than the seeker themselves, sotrust in his knowledge and remember that he receives guidance from the saints and theBeloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

7• Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti said, “Whatever zikr the Murshid has instructed should beread accordingly so that the mureed may attain some spiritual perfection; what the Murshidcommands is for the benefit of the mureeds.”A seeker should also show complete loyalty and allegiance towards their Murshid. Theyshould honour the belief that their Murshid is the best guide for them, the most beneficialfor them, and that none else can surpass this rank. This loyalty is a part of the respectshown towards one’s Murshid, as it proves the level of trust and belief a seeker has, not justin the Murshid, but also the tareeqa they follow.Those who are looking for a Murshid to guide them should remember that if a seeker istruly sincere, Allah will guide them to a true Murshid who will elevate and strengthen theirspiritual state. InshaAllah, they will be successful if they act upon the words of theQur’an, “And seek help through patience and prayer...” [Qur’an 2:45]

The Status of Fana fi-Shaykh

The status of fana fi-Shaykh (annihilation in one’s Shaykh or Murshid) is a truly dignifiedone, and is the first stage of spiritual elevation. It indicates the mureed’s pure nature andfirm faith, and shows that they are ready for further enlightenment from Allah and theBeloved Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).The second stage of spiritual elevation is Fana fi-Rasul, and the third & final stage is Fana-fillah which is the utmost level of spirituality.Attaining the status of fana fi-Shaykh requires the seeker to become one with the will oftheir Murshid – to the extent that they no longer harbour desires of their own, as all theirfeelings are harmonized with that of their spiritual guide. It is a truly honourable statuswhere the love for the Murshid becomes so intense that his pleasure is the seeker’s ownpleasure, and his displeasure is also the seeker’s displeasure. In this manner, the seekerreceives and reflects the fayz of their Murshid in a much more powerful form.Khwaja Sirri as-Saqti said about the love and devotion between Murshid and mureed, thatit cannot be authentic unless one says to the other, “I am you, and you are I.” This indicatesthe complete absorption of a mureed’s heart, which submits itself completely to the one itloves i.e. the Murshid, who is its master, the one who nurtures it and guides it to Allah andthe Beloved Messenger.• About fana fi-Shaykh, Imam Ahmad Raza Khansays, “One must feel that his Shaykh ispresent with him at all times, and his heart is under the heart of his Shaykh. While in thisstate, the spiritual beams of the Beloved Messenger of Allah are beaming onto the heart ofhis Shaykh which is then reflecting onto the Mureed. If this concentration is correctlyperfected and maintained for a period of time, the Mureed will clearly visualize the image ofhis Shaykh upon whatever object he looks at. This condition intensifies so much that theimage of the Shaykh will not part from him even whilst in Salah. The Mureed will find thisimage wherever he goes.”[al-Malfuz al-Sharif]

8This state is perfected when the mureed becomes so absorbed in the tasawwur (observation)of their Murshid that his every move impacts their own actions. Eventually, the Murshidalso controls the movements of the mureed and at this stage, the mureed becomescompletely annihilated (fana), merging into existence of their spiritual guide. This is adivine reality.Tasawwur-e-Shaykh, or visualizing one’s Shaykh is an important part of being a mureed. Itis also a form of muraqaba prescribed through many tareeqas due to the benefits it hasupon the heart of a seeker.May Allah’s eternal peace and blessings of the highest degree be upon our MasterMuhammad, upon his Family and his Companions.